What was the War of Roses? I believe some background information is necessary for those of you with social lives who don't memorize the genealogy of English Kings for fun. The war can be traced back to King Edward III of England. He reigned for 50 years and helped create a strong and militaristic England that was the poster child for the medieval world. Edward and his decedents were technically all part of the House of Plantagenet but his sons' children would go on to create factions within the family. He had eight sons, five of whom lived long enough to amass power and pass large titles onto their heirs. These sons were Edward Duke of Cornwall, Lionel Duke of Clarence, John Duke of Lancaster, Edmund Duke of York, and Thomas Duke of Gloucester. John of Gaunt became the patriarch of the House of Lancaster when his son Henry usurped the throne from Richard II (son of Edward Duke of Cornwall) and became Henry IV. Edmund's son Richard married the great granddaughter of Lionel Duke of Clarence and founded the House of York. It was Edmund's Yorkist great grandson Edward that fought against the Lancaster king Henry VI and won the throne of England as Edward IV. The House of Lancaster divided even further to produce the House of Tudor. Lancastrian king Henry V married Catherine of Valois but died right after his son Henry VI was born. Catherine got remarried to a man named Owen Tudor and they had a son named Edmund Tudor. Edmund went on to marry John Duke of Lancaster's great granddaughter Margaret Beaufort and their son Henry VII became the first Tudor king. Confused yet? :) Basically one family, the Plantagenet family, divided into two factions Lancaster and York. Lancaster divided even further and produced the House of Tudor. So the line of kings went Plantagenet, Lancaster, York, Tudor. The red rose of Lancaster fought against the white rose of York and lost. These roses represented each family and that is why it is called the War of Roses. Tudor King Henry VII married the daughter of Yorkist King Edward IV and combined the red and white roses to create the Tudor Rose. Here is a picture for those of you who need a visual aid.


I hope this makes more sense now. Or not :) The family tensions and divisions resulted in one of the well known wars in history thanks to the fabrications of one William Shakespeare.